Topic: hached chicks advice please

[PHILMT]

Hi.  we had 3 chicks hatch about 2 weeks ago from 6 in our incubator.  i put them in a bird cage in my front room with a heat lamp untill today. i have now put them in a shed at the bottom of my garden so they can see the other chickens.  i have put them in a bigger cage in the shed and also put the heat lamp with them.  i am just wondering - how long should i keep them under the heat lamp for and how old do they need to be before i can let them mingle with the others.  thank u for any help.

[growmore]

You should be OK dispensing with the lamp when the chicks are fully feathered,between 3 to 5 weeks old .
I wouldn't introduce them to the other hens till they were a  least 12 to 14 weeks old maybe even later .
A lot depends on how placid your other hens are. Let them see each other through a wire netting fence  and introduce them when you are there to watch them .
I am presuming your 3 chicks are pullets and not c-ocks.    :) 

[Anisemary]

When they are hatched under a broody they are usually about 6/7 weeks old before Mum decides they are feathered up enough to be left, so I would say they need a little heat at least at night for a couple of weeks more, and then it will depend on the weather.  If there were more of them to huddle together it would not be as crucial, but three in a large cage will not provide them with much body heat from each other. As far as them mingling with the others, opinion will vary greatly on this, but as they have no Mum to 'stick up' for them, I would always do it in short sharp bursts, and always supervised. Personally, I would wait until they are well feathered (6/8 weeks) and then for only half an hour at a time to start with. By then the weather should have warmed up and you can take your G & T and sit in the sun with them so you can keep an eye on proceedings, as I'm sure you are aware of how bitchy older hens can be !  ;)

[PHILMT]

Thank u for ur advice. I think one is a c-ock and the other 2 are hens. I have another 12 eggs due to hatch next week also. I was just wondering how people normally deal with the cockerals. I want to keep a few if possible - wot ratio is it c-ocks to hens? Can they live happily together?

[teresa]

some have trio's 1 c*ck to 2 hens pened seperately, but normaly its 1 co*k to 5 hens. A chap I know does 1 c*ck to 10 hens he must be on vits tablets. Depends on what your breed of hens are.

[growmore]

I think you are taking a risk running c-ocks together with several hens.
C-ocks can run together amicably sometimes, but if you introduce the ladies they are eventually going to have a real go at one another . 
Theres always exceptions to the rule .So see what others think.